A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of motorized vehicles, more specifically, a safety harness for use with said vehicle, which is self-releasing.
Riding a motorcycle can be dangerous where the conditions are wet or where other motorists aren't vigilant for other motorists. Unfortunately, individuals that have accidents while riding motorcycles are often seriously injured or worse. In the event of a head-on accident while driving or riding a motorcycle, the occupant(s) would travel over the handlebars and either into the corresponding crash vehicle or other object.
What is needed is a device that includes a harness that attaches onto a driver or occupant of a motorcycle, which restrains the individual during a front-on impact in order to prevent said end user from flying over the handlebars and into another vehicle or into another object. A further need is to enable the harness to automatically release itself in the event that the end user and motorcycle are at an acute angle with respect to the ground, which may occur where the motorcycle is sliding. The device of the present application addresses this need along with many others.
B. Discussion of the Prior Art
As will be discussed immediately below, no prior art discloses a self-releasing vehicular harness that is adapted for use with a motorcycle/four-wheeler/jet ski/snowmobile, etc., and which restrains the driver or rider in order to prevent said end user from flying over top of the handlebars during a head-on collision with another vehicle or object; wherein the self-releasing vehicular harness includes a tether that extends from the harness to a spring-loaded drum located in a housing positioned to the rear or to a side of the end user; wherein the housing contains at least one tensioning means that releases the drum in order to enable the tether to unroll thereby releasing the end user from the vehicle in the event of a non-head-on collision or non-upright collision; wherein an inclinometer detects the angle of the vehicle in order to determine whether to release or lock the spring-loaded drum; wherein a kill switch and/or seat sensor may work in conjunction with the inclinometer to further define parameters for releasing or locking the tether.
The Makabe et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,445,235) discloses an air bag device that is used as a device that attenuates an impact to a rider of a motorcycle or the like which includes an inclination sensor for detecting an inclination of the vehicle, and an angle acceleration calculating part for calculating the inclination angle acceleration of the vehicle body.
The Kobayashi et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,516,980) discloses a rider separation detecting device for a motorcycle. However, the device does not release the harness completely, and inflates a garment when conditions are met.
The Crane Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,352) discloses a protective garment for minimizing impact-caused injury, primarily to the body of a motorcyclist. However, the garment includes a harness that is unable to automatically release itself from the motorcycle in the event that the rider or driver and motorcycle have leaned to one side.
The Alaloof Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,478) discloses a protective system including a garment-shaped inflatable member for surrounding at least the upper portions of the body of a rider of a non-enclosed vehicle. However, the garment relies upon inflation to occur while the driver or rider is flying through the air as a direct result of a head-on collision with a motorcycle.
The Singhal Patent Application Publication (U.S. Pub. No. 2011/0154561) discloses a motorcycle rider safety harness that is suitable to be worn by a motorcycle rider. However, the harness includes a plurality of air bags that deploy in conjunction therewith, and is not adapted to restrain a rider or driver from falling over the handlebars of a motorcycle during a head-on collision.
The Jackson Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,111) discloses a safety system for removing a rider from a vehicle by deploying a parachute. However, the parachute is not a harness that restrains a rider or driver from travfeling over the handlebars during head-on collision.
The Kincheloe Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,469) discloses an inflatable protective apparel for motorcycle riders, and the like. However, the protective apparel does not restrain a rider onto a motorcycle in order to prevent the occupant from falling over the handlebars during a head-on collision.
The LeBell Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,663) discloses a safety cut-out switch for a motor-vehicle ignition system. However, the switch does not restrain the motorist or passenger from traveling over the handlebars during a head-on collision while on a motorcycle.
The Pingel et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 385,852) illustrates an ornamental design for a motorcycle ignition Kill switch. However, the kill switch does not work in conjunction with a harness.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe a self-releasing vehicular harness that is adapted for use with a motorcycle/four-wheeler/jet ski/snowmobile, etc., and which restrains the driver or rider in order to prevent said end user from flying over top of the handlebars during a head-on collision with another vehicle or object; wherein the self-releasing vehicular harness includes a tether that extends from the harness to a spring-loaded drum located in a housing positioned to the rear or to a side of the end user; wherein the housing contains at least one tensioning means that releases the drum in order to enable the tether to unroll thereby releasing the end user from the vehicle in the event of a non-head-on collision or non-upright collision; wherein an inclinometer detects the angle of the vehicle in order to determine whether to release or lock the spring-loaded drum; wherein a kill switch and/or seat sensor may work in conjunction with the inclinometer to further define parameters for releasing or locking the tether. In this regard, the self-releasing vehicular harness departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art.